An Evening At The Wine Palette

By Jarvis Holliday

Published: 2011.10.10 04:56 PM

See photo slideshow below.

I’m always looking for new and different ways to experience an evening or night out. I’d heard a little about The Wine Palette since it opened in June in Plaza Midwood, and I finally got the chance to check it out Saturday when a friend and fellow blogger had a party.

Simone McDowell, of HoneeBee Gifts, threw a party to celebrate the redesign of her blog. The Wine Palette hosts private events, so Simone welcomed about thirty of her friends and fellow bloggers, and we had the place to ourselves from 5-8 p.m.

We were each given an eight-by-eight-inch white canvas, brushes, and a variety of paint colors to choose from. Looking at the paintings on the wall was inspiring, but who was I kidding: I might as well have two left hands when it comes to drawing of any kind. But I did use local artist Michelle Moricola’s painting of Charlotte’s skyline, which hung on the wall, as my muse. After painting my canvas black for the background, I painted the names of my three blogs and attempted to paint Charlotte’s skyline above them. That didn’t go so well (which is why I won’t show the picture here). Yet, I had a lot of fun doing it.

I don’t think I’d painted anything—and certainly hadn’t mixed any colors—since high school art class. Several of my fellow adults were struggling as well—that was part of the fun—while some actually completed works that would be suitable to hang at home or the office. I’m jealous.

Simone was an excellent host. She served wine and cupcakes (with her HoneeBee monogram on them), and raffled off prizes and gave everyone gift bags.

And The Wine Palette was an excellent choice of venue. In addition to holding private events, its calendar is filled with sessions that are open to the public in which you can sip wine while taking painting lessons. For you couples, there’s a “Splash of Abstract—Date Night” event scheduled for Friday, October 21, 7-9 p.m. Cost is $30 person and you can click here to register.

Girls just want to have fun. Boys will be boys. You’re an adult now. Sure, you have more responsibilities than ever and your time is increasingly pressed. But it’s imperative that you make time for happy hour. That you check out that new nightclub while it’s still the hot, new thing. Dusk Till Dawn will help you navigate Charlotte’s nightlife and social scene, telling you where to go and when to go there. Dusk Till Dawn is written primarily by Jared Misner and Jarvis Holliday.

Verify dates, times, prices, and other info at the web addresses for each event or venue listed on this blog.

About Jared

Jared Misner is from Florida, but it wasn't Southern enough for him to stay. He left the Sunshine State and land of endless summer in 2012 for our little city where the tea is always sweet and the people are even sweeter. Have something you want featured in the Dusk Till Dawn blog? Send Jared an email at DuskTillDawnblog@gmail.com, or send him a tweet @Jared_Misner.

About Jarvis

You may have seen Jarvis Holliday’s byline in Charlotte magazine and other publications, maybe on a story in which he’s interviewed a prominent official or written about a serious issue. Well, not here. He’s taking the night off because you should as well (and maybe the next morning, too). Follow him on Twitter @HollidayInk; email him at jarvish@grownpeopletalking.com.